Low voltage outdoor lights are well known among homeowners and landscape contractors. Such lighting is typically used for outdoor decorative lighting to highlight landscaping and various architectural features of homes or buildings.
There are many different styles of low voltage outdoor lights. One variety of lights is designed to be secured to the ground by means of a stake. Typically, the electrical supply cable for such ground type lights is buried underground in soil. The electrical supply cable runs from a remote power supply (typically a 120 volt AC to 12 volt AC transformer) to each light.
A second style of low voltage outdoor lighting is a deck light. Deck lights are designed to be mounted well above ground on such structures as decks or porches. A deck light includes means for mounting the fixture to the deck or porch structure. Typical mounting means include wood screws and apertures within the light fixture for accepting the wood screws which are screwed into the deck. Deck lights also include means for electrically connecting a light bulb or lamp to an electrical supply cable where the cable delivers power from a remote power supply.
Most low voltage outdoor lights have means for connecting the electrical power supply cable to the light fixture and its lamp. One way of connecting the electrical supply to the lamp is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,611 to Beachy et al. and assigned to The Toro Company, assignee of the present application. The '611 patent discloses an electrical supply cable connected to a pair of lamp contacts wherein the contacts snap onto the light fixture. The lamp contacts engage and electrically connect a lamp which protrudes into the deck light fixture of the '611 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,648 issued to Kakuk et al. and assigned to The Toro Company discloses a low voltage outdoor light fixture wherein the electrical supply cable is connected to lamp contacts and the light bulb via a slide on connector system. The slide on connector includes a set of male cable prongs on the light fixture and a female adapter on the top of the supporting post/stake. The male cable prongs pierce the electrical supply cable insulation and make contact with the conductive cable core when the slide on connector is slid onto the post/stake.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,448 to Maddock discloses a low voltage lighting fixture with a cam type fastener that acts as a means for pressing electrical cable against piercing type lamp contacts causing the piercing contacts to penetrate the insulation and make electrical contact between the contacts and the conductive cores of the cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,139 to Poppenheimer discloses a low voltage lighting fixture wherein the upper portion of the fixture includes a lamp and a set of lamp contacts which extend downwardly. The light fixture also includes a lower portion (including a ground engaging stake) through which an electrical cable runs. Electrical contact is achieved between the upper portion and its lamp contacts and the lower portion and the conductive cores of the electrical cable when the top portion is pressed down, in a sliding manner, over the lower portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,100 to Lee discloses a low voltage light fixture that includes an upper portion with a lamp and a pair of lamp contacts. The light fixture also includes a lower portion (including a ground engaging stake) through which an electrical cable runs. A connector is configured for assembly between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the connector includes means for receiving and retaining a pair of cable piercing contacts. The lamp fixture is assembled by placing the lamp contacts and the lamp into the upper portion. The cable piercing contacts are inserted into the connector and the connector is then positioned between the lower portion and the upper portion. Electrical contact is achieved between the lamp and the conductive cores of the electrical cable when the upper portion is pressed down onto the lower portion and the interposed connector.
The present invention offers an alternative low voltage outdoor light with a unique system for connecting light bulb contacts to electrical supply cable. In particular, a preferred light fixture according to the present invention incorporates a lamp contact supported by the fixture, a lamp electrically connected to the lamp contact, an electrical supply cable for delivering electrical power to the lamp contact and lamp, a breakaway cable connector connected to the light fixture, and a cable connector receiver formed in the fixture for receiving and mechanically restraining the cable connector.